San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-09-17
aIIer name is Leonora Casamina,-

| her uncle-noDle family.
"She has got lover, I'll swear" said
Frank, so it's no use, Guy"
ave shall see, my SON."
Little attention paid heyoung noble
man to the stage, but under veil Of the
singularly beautiful long lashes, alluded
to by Frank, he covertly watched the
girl who had so stirred his fiery and i'm
pulsive nature.
lie had travelled much (he had come
out now in his yacht, the sea Queen"
on a cruise), and seen lovely women by
the dozen, but never yet such one as
this young Venetian's fair features and
slender form. II 1t was not entirely a
case Of love at first sight, it was certain
" something very like it on his part.
When the first act ended, Frank said
he should go and get glass Of lemon
ade.
December here" said he, isn't like
in England, is it? and Pm hot and
thirsty. Are you comingP"
mo, thanks. ] am neither the one
nor the other, and don't care to move"
Trevanian nodded and left the audi
torium; and at the same time st. Maur
saw the old Count Casamina also rise,
and heard him say
Il see the Marchesa d'Urbino in her
box, my dear, and must just go round
and see her."
"Very well, uncle. Garry her my
compliments, and say we shall be at her
ball next week, of course"
rylo ,,;rI,o yn;oa xpoo lilo r,nncio b,,f
her manner was cold and naughty; and
look Of relief came into her eyes as
the Count left the box.
st. Maur noticed both, and drew his
own conclusions. What happiness to
win smile from those beautiful eyesl
How like an ocean queen she would
look standing on the deck of his beauti-
full yacht, now lying at anchor in the
lagoons.
Il VOW" he muttered, that her name
ought to be changed from Sea Queen
to 'LeOnora'; but they gave me the
soubriquet of Snapdragon at school and
so my ocean mistress should have had
that. But"
That "but" never had its ending, for
at that moment a red glow was sudden
ly perceived behind the act drop, and
voice from the gallery cried out the aw-
full word "Firel"
1T is nOthingl" exclaimed st. Maur,
instantly in Italian, standing erect.
Keep your places for your lives, and
all is safel"
Quiet as he was, he might as well
have tried to stem flood-tide as the
panic that seized the crowd. In mo-
ment there was wild confusion as
flame leaped up above the curtain. WO-
men shrieked; men and women alike
crushed and pressed madly towards
every exit; some crying to keep back,
others shrieking frantically to push on,
or they would be burnt-climbing over
or under seats; trampling over those
that fell.
In the midst of it all, Guy st. Maur
saw that LeOnora, white and calm, still
sat in her box. She had been his only
thought, and he directly forced his way
between those who were crushing their
passage towards door between HIM
self and the box, which was the second
tier only. He lifted his hand to the
beautiful girl who now stood up bend
ing forward with parted lips watching
his advance with intense eagerness and
deadly suspense.
Heavensl if he should be borne down
crushed in trying to reach her. She
knew that that was his desperate pur-
pose; she had seen his imperative sign
to wait there for him-that English
stranger. And she almost held her
breath as the tall, slight, supple figure
gained the spot below her box.
To grasp the curtain of the now empty
box below and fairly swing himself up
into that of the Venetian was the work
of few moments, and surely the sweet
est voice he had ever heard was this
girls glad cry of relief as he stood be-
fore her.
"Oh Signor, thank God you are safel"
"By Heaven, you are brave grill" he
said, clasping her delicate hands in his
own; and in that firm grasp, in the fine
face there was that strength and power
which gives such an instructive sense Of
reliance and trust, especially to wo-
man. will you trust yourself to me,
Signorina, for will save you or perish
in the attempt,-are you afraid?"
Not now!" the Venetian said looking
up in his face; Il fear that seething
crowd-the horror of death by crush
ing" she shuddered,- more than
those roaring flames; but you must not,
shall not peril your life for me, stran-
ger, who indeed has nothing to make
her life worth one risk to one who has
doubtless dear ones to mourn him.
Escape, Signor Inglese, leave mel"
"When you are in safety, not BEFORE"
he said, almost amused at her entreaty;
"tO go out on to the corridors now is
little less than death-listen to the cries
of those who have rushed Outp
LeOnora shuddered, then shrank back
as volume of smoke and vivid flames
burst with roar through the curtains
and seized the ceiling just beyond the
stage.
"My unclel" said the girl under her
breath; "he must have escaped, for he
must have been near the door"
I'VE will hope so, and my friend had
left the house. Have you courage still
to trust me and stay here?"
81 have courage to do anything you
think best" was the reply, as if she had
known him for years, so strangely and
completely does a common terrible dan
ger level alike distinction and cOnven-